Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Rosado
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican
Size: 5.75 x 48
Body: Medium
Price: $5.50 by the box

Several ago, I reviewed these cigars for an online store. I think it was Mike’s Cigars. It was just OK.

Flor de Gonzalez came out with a new version called 90 Miles Reserva Selecta and let me tell you this ain’t your grandpa’s 90 Miles. I smoked one last night after only a couple weeks in my humidor because I have no self-control and it is pretty much my SOP when I buy a 5 pack and need to check for potential and determine how much humidor time it will need before they are at the blender’s intent on flavors. The Gonzalez family seems to have joined the New Breed Tattooed Ones manner of blending.

I recently reviewed the DE BOTL LE2013 and bitched about the $12 price tag. No. This stick does not have the exact same qualities but it proves my thesis that you can buy some mighty fine cigars for $5-$6.

It’s a gorgeous, dark cigar with sloppy seams and a few veins. It has an impressive pig tail cap. The wrapper shines from its oil and feels just a tad toothy. The stick is rock solid.

I snip the cap off and find aromas of milk chocolate, cedar, sweetness, spice, and earth.
Time to light up.

First impression comes from a very earthy component. Sweetness and spice follow quickly. The draw is spot on. But the char line becomes wavy too early.

The cigar is a bit mis-shapened because I cannot rotate the double cigar bands so they align for the photos. It is like the cigar is a little squished.

This cigar is different than last night’s venture. The flavors were immediately intense last night. Today, they are creeping up on me slowly. At the first half inch mark, flavors consist of earth, sweetness, and spice. The spiciness is much milder than last night. This is odd. I was set to write a great review on how good these sticks are and it seems that consistency is an issue. But I am barely into the cigar, so Katman, be patient.

At the 1” mark, flavors begin to bloom. The sweetness leads the pack. A floral flavor appears. Honeysuckle. I think I notice this a lot in some cigars because of growing up with a whole house front full of these bushes. And as kids, we would pull the sweet stamen from the flower; dripping with some type of honey liquid, and suck on it. It was a real treat when they were in bloom and my parents yelled at me a lot.

The first third ends without much fanfare. During the last part of the first third, cocoa, a higher level of spice, and honey became more apparent. Creaminess enters the arena as the second third begins. The cigar is at classic medium.
It is here that the cigar stops disappointing me and begins to show off. It is extremely chewy with a long finish. A coffee element appears. It appears that the Nicaraguan ingredients are driving the bus here. I expected the Ecuadorian wrapper to give it more zing than it has.

Such a difference between last night’s cigar and today’s cigar. I looked forward to writing about it. But Flor de Gonzalez needs to work out the consistency problem. This Reserva Selecta tastes more like the original 90 Miles cigar than the new blend. Nice, but mostly nothing special. I suppose I could have grabbed one that turned out to be a fluke. I hope so because the two prior cigars held a lot of promise.

I near the halfway point. No changes. It is a very pleasant cigar but doesn’t bowl me over. The sweet honey pot flavor would impress Winnie but it is becoming a one trick pony. The cocoa disappears. And the small amount of spiciness dissipates.

I am just nearing the last third and the pepper makes a resurgence. Finally. Something to perk me up. The coffee flavor that was so subordinate to the spice and sweetness becomes much stronger and better defined. The sweetness finds another avenue: maple syrup. I can taste the waffles. It forces the honey component to fade away.

Cocoa becomes a stronger flavor. The last third appears to be the sweet spot. The two prior cigars were flavor bombs almost from the start. It is a bummer that this cigar did not light the lights for me. I was considering buying a box but now I am conflicted.

I could only find three online stores carrying this brand….Famous, Mike’s Cigars, and Serious Cigars. The other big stores don’t have them.

The last third is very enjoyable and a pleasure. The inconsistency must come from an inadequate amount of resting time. A few weeks are not enough. I was going to write how Gonzalez entered the arena of the New Breed blenders by making a cigar that was ready to smoke very early in its humidor time. Clearly, it is more old school and needs a couple months for it to gain that consistency it sorely needs.

Obviously, there is no complexity. The last couple of inches sees the cigar become a flavor bomb with these flavors: Sweetness, cocoa, creaminess, coffee, earthiness and pepper.

The cigar is now a true joy to smoke. This is what it should have tasted like after the first inch.

The body is medium bodied. No nicotine. It is smooth and balanced. The char line required one touch up but has stayed on course for most of the burn.
I have two more of these cigars in my humidor and I shall let them rest and then return to this review with an update.

The spice makes a sudden lurch and my eyes water and my nose runs. The spiciness is like riding a roller coaster. It’s up and then down throughout the smoke.
Creaminess takes over as the cigar nears the finish line.

I recommend this cigar with the caveat that if you choose to buy some, start with a 5 pack. And then be patient.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: 90 miles reserva selecta review, cigar reivews by the katman, cigar review, cigars, flor de gonzalez